First Case of Hantavirus Confirmed in North America
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome has now officially reached North America following the ongoing outbreak tied to the MV Hondius cruise ship.
On Sunday, May 17, Canadian health officials confirmed that a passenger who traveled aboard the ship tested positive for hantavirus, marking the first confirmed North American case connected to the outbreak.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, one of four Canadians who returned home from the cruise last week initially received a "presumptive positive" result before additional testing confirmed the infection. "One individual's sample was confirmed positive for hantavirus," the agency said in a statement.
The patient, who is in their 70s and from Yukon, is currently hospitalized in Victoria alongside another traveler from the ship who tested negative. Officials said all four Canadian passengers are now in isolation.
So far, there have been 10 confirmed or probable cases linked to the cruise, including three deaths. Health officials have emphasized that the situation is very different from the early days of COVID-19, despite inevitable public concern surrounding another quarantine-related outbreak.
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The outbreak specifically involves the Andes strain of hantavirus, which is notable because it is the only known strain capable of spreading from person to person, though experts say transmission still primarily occurs through close contact.
Meanwhile, American passengers from the cruise continue to be monitored. As of May 14, sixteen travelers were transferred to the National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska, while two others remain under observation at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Roughly 36 additional Americans across several states are also being monitored from home after possible exposure.
According to the CDC, none of the Americans being monitored are currently symptomatic or have tested positive.
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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 4:34 AM.